Ben Padarath
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Wainiqolo Padarath (born 1970) http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=47239 is a former political candidate in Fiji
, who served a prison sentence at Korovou Prison from 2006 to 2007 for manslaughter
. He is continuing to serve the sentence extramurally.
(NAPF) candidate for the Lami
Open Constituency
in the parliamentary election
held on 6-13 May 2006. He polled 681 votes, just under 5 percent of the total.
Padarath's mother, Lavenia Padarath
, a well-known Fiji Labour Party
politician, criticized him on 29 March 2006 for a speech he had made at the opening of the Lami office of his party, calling for political power to remain with indigenous Fijians. Lavenia Padarath said her son's comments were racist, unnecessary, unwarranted, and contrary to the way he had been brought up. http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=23125 The NAPF leader, Ratu
Epeli Ganilau
, also disavowed the remarks, saying they were Padarath's personal opinion and not those of the party. Padarath defended himself against accusations of racism, saying that with an Indian father and an indigenous Fijian mother, he could not be racist, but considered that for the sake of political and economic stability, it was best for political power to remain, for now, in indigenous hands.
sentenced Padarath to two years' imprisonment for causing death by careless driving on 23 May 2003. He was fined F$2000
and was disqualified from driving for three years. http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=50168 http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=47239 After leaving a Suva
nightclub with Julia Stark, Arieta Bulewa, and Charlotte Peters at 10.40pm that night, he had stopped at the Prouds Triangle. He and Peters (a well-known Fiji Sun
journalist) got out of the vehicle and had a heated argument, but returned to the car when a police vehicle arrived. Padarath resisted police attempts to enter the vehicle and drove away at high speed, going through two red lights. Police, driving at 90-100 kilometers per hour, were unable to catch up. Padarath crashed into a coconut
tree opposite the Chinese
embassy on Queen Elizabeth Drive, and the car broke in half. Bulewa and Stark were found unconscious on the footpath; Stark died three days later, while Bulewa was hospitalized for over a month.
Padarath's lawyer Neel Shivam asked Shameem to consider Padarath's epilepsy
, which required daily medication, but Shameem ruled that he was a danger to the public and needed to be imprisoned. Arrangements could be made for his medication, she said.
Padarath was released on 22 June 2007, to serve the remainder of his sentence extramurally while doing community work at a local church. http://www.fijitv.com.fj/index.cfm?si=main.resources&cmd=forumview&uid=newsnational&cid=3376, Fiji Television
reported on 25 June. Assistant Commissioner of Prisons Auta Moceisuva said that Padarath had been released under Section 67 of the Prisons Act.
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, who served a prison sentence at Korovou Prison from 2006 to 2007 for manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
. He is continuing to serve the sentence extramurally.
Political foray
Padarath was the National Alliance PartyNational Alliance Party of Fiji
The National Alliance Party of Fiji is a Fijian political party. It was formally registered on 18 January 2005 by Ratu Epeli Ganilau, as the claimed successor to the defunct Alliance Party, which ruled Fiji from 1967 to 1987 under the leadership of the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, Ganilau's...
(NAPF) candidate for the Lami
Lami (Open Constituency, Fiji)
Lami Open is an electoral division of Fiji, one of 25 open constituencies elected by universal suffrage . Like the other open electorates, it came into being in 1999 and was used for the parliamentary elections of 1999, 2001, and 2006...
Open Constituency
Open constituencies (Fiji)
Open constituencies represent one of several electoral models employed in the past and present in the Fijian electoral system. They derive their name from the fact that they are "open": unlike the communal constituencies, the 25 members of the House of Representatives who represent open...
in the parliamentary election
Fiji election of 2006
The Constitution of Fiji requires general elections for the House of Representatives to be held at least once every five years. The latest election was held on 6-13 May 2006. Acting President Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi issued a proclamation on 2 March, effective from 27 March, dissolving Parliament...
held on 6-13 May 2006. He polled 681 votes, just under 5 percent of the total.
Padarath's mother, Lavenia Padarath
Lavenia Padarath
Lavenia Padarath is a Fijian politician.Padarath won the Nausori Naitasiri Open Constituency for the Fiji Labour Party in the 1999 parliamentary election. She was subsequently appointed to the Cabinet of Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry as Minister for Women, Culture, and Social Welfare...
, a well-known Fiji Labour Party
Fiji Labour Party
The Fiji Labour Party is a political party in Fiji, which holds observer status with the Socialist International. Most of its support at present comes from the Indo-Fijian community, although it is officially multiracial and its first leader was an indigenous Fijian, Dr. Timoci Bavadra. It is...
politician, criticized him on 29 March 2006 for a speech he had made at the opening of the Lami office of his party, calling for political power to remain with indigenous Fijians. Lavenia Padarath said her son's comments were racist, unnecessary, unwarranted, and contrary to the way he had been brought up. http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=23125 The NAPF leader, Ratu
Ratu
Ratu is a title used by Fijians of chiefly rank. An equivalent title, Adi is used by females of chiefly rank.-Etymology:Ra is a prefix in many titles and Tu is simply "chief"...
Epeli Ganilau
Epeli Ganilau
Brigadier-General Ratu Epeli Ganilau, MC, MSD, is a Fijian soldier and statesman, who currently heads the National Alliance Party of Fiji. His career has previously encompassed such roles as Commander of the Fiji Military Forces and Chairman of the Bose Levu Vakaturaga...
, also disavowed the remarks, saying they were Padarath's personal opinion and not those of the party. Padarath defended himself against accusations of racism, saying that with an Indian father and an indigenous Fijian mother, he could not be racist, but considered that for the sake of political and economic stability, it was best for political power to remain, for now, in indigenous hands.
Manslaughter conviction
On 26 August 2006, Justice Nazhat ShameemNazhat Shameem
Nazhat Shameem is a former Fiji Indian judge.She was appointed to the bench in 1999 as Fiji's first, and 2007 so far only, Indo-Fijian female High Court judge...
sentenced Padarath to two years' imprisonment for causing death by careless driving on 23 May 2003. He was fined F$2000
Fijian dollar
The dollar has been the currency of Fiji since 1969 and was also the currency between 1867 and 1873. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively FJ$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
and was disqualified from driving for three years. http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=50168 http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=47239 After leaving a Suva
Suva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
nightclub with Julia Stark, Arieta Bulewa, and Charlotte Peters at 10.40pm that night, he had stopped at the Prouds Triangle. He and Peters (a well-known Fiji Sun
Fiji Sun
The Fiji Sun is a daily newspaper published in Fiji. Owned by Sun News Limited, it was first published in September 1999. An internet edition is also published....
journalist) got out of the vehicle and had a heated argument, but returned to the car when a police vehicle arrived. Padarath resisted police attempts to enter the vehicle and drove away at high speed, going through two red lights. Police, driving at 90-100 kilometers per hour, were unable to catch up. Padarath crashed into a coconut
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
tree opposite the Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
embassy on Queen Elizabeth Drive, and the car broke in half. Bulewa and Stark were found unconscious on the footpath; Stark died three days later, while Bulewa was hospitalized for over a month.
Padarath's lawyer Neel Shivam asked Shameem to consider Padarath's epilepsy
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...
, which required daily medication, but Shameem ruled that he was a danger to the public and needed to be imprisoned. Arrangements could be made for his medication, she said.
Padarath was released on 22 June 2007, to serve the remainder of his sentence extramurally while doing community work at a local church. http://www.fijitv.com.fj/index.cfm?si=main.resources&cmd=forumview&uid=newsnational&cid=3376, Fiji Television
Fiji Television
Fiji Television Limited is Fiji's television network. It was founded on 15 June 1994 as the first permanent television broadcasting network in the country, although television had previously been introduced temporarily in October 1991 to broadcast the Rugby World Cup as well as Cricket World Cup....
reported on 25 June. Assistant Commissioner of Prisons Auta Moceisuva said that Padarath had been released under Section 67 of the Prisons Act.